Caster-frame for tubs



(No Model.)

W. E. WASHBURN.

GASTER FRAME FOR TUBS, &c.

No. 404,022. Patented May 28, 1889.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM E. IVASHBURN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CASTER-FRAME FOR TUBS, 80c.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 404,022, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed December 14, 1887. $erial No. 257,915. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LWILLIAM E. WAsHBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supporting Caster-Frames; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to an improvement in caster-frames for washing-machines, tubs, or other articles; and it has for its object to provide means whereby the article may be readily removed from place to place and caused to rest firmly in position when in use. WVith these'ends in view the invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section, taken from front to rear, of the supporting-frame, showing a tub supported thereby. Fig. 2 is a central sec-- tional View of the supporting mechanism, looking toward the fron A designates the tub, of any desired construction.

The tub is supported upon a frame constructed as follows: Four corner-posts, D, are connected, the two at the front by a pair of girders, d, the two at the rear by a pair of corresponding girders, d, and the two at each side by a pair of girders, d (1 corresponding with each. other and located higher than the girders d d. For the purpose of throwing the weight of the article onto casters when it is desired to move it from place to place, and to readily shift it onto its legs or posts when in use for washing, I provide the following mechanism: To the back sides of the front postsD and to the front sides of the back posts D auxiliary legs L are secured by laterally-extending arms M and N The arms M are angle-levers, pivoted to the posts D at their vertices, their laterally-extending branches being loosely secured to the auxiliary legs L, and their upwardly-extending branches m being connected with the operating-shaft, as will hereinafter appear. The

arms N correspond to the lower branches of the arms M, and are pivoted at one end to the posts D, and loosely secured at their opposite ends to the auxiliary legs L, which are provided with casters Z. A pair of shafts, O O, are journaled in suitable frames, P, at the front and the rear of the machine, the shafts being centrally located side by side and provided with intermeshing gear Q, so that the rotation of one of the shafts will cause the rotation of the other shaft in the opposite direction. Each shaft 0 O is provided with upwardly-extending arms 0 0', one at each end, secured firmly to the shafts, and having their upper or free ends connected with the arms on of the angle-levers M by rods R. An operating-lever, S, is attached to the front end of one of the shafts O O'-O, for instance-its handle extending laterally toward the side of the machine, where a catch, .9, is located to hold it in depressed adjustment. When it is desired to throw the weight of the article onto the casters, the handle of the lever S is depressed, thereby rotating the shaft 0 over toward the shaft 0, and, because of the intermeshing gear, causing the shaft 0 to rotate over toward the shaft 0, and hence, through the medium of the arms 0 0', connecting-rods R, and angle-levers M, lift the posts D and the burden from the floor, and leaving the entire weight of the machine upon the auxiliary legs L, with their casters Z. WVhen the machine has been moved to the desired place, the lever S may be unlatched and the machine allowed to rest upon the posts or legs D, its own weight being sufficient to bring it intosuch position.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as being applied to a tub; but would have it understood that it may be employed with as equally good results as a support for tables, chairs, sewingmachines, or other similar articles.

I claim- 1. The combination, with a supportingframe, of journaled shafts having intermeshing gears,a lever for operating said shafts, auxiliary supports provided with casters, and connections between the shafts and auxiliary supports, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a supportingframe, of journaled shafts carrying intermeshing gears, an operating-lever secured to one of said shafts, arms on said shaf s, auxiliary supports provided with casters, anglelevers pivoted to the posts of the frame and connected with the auxiliary supports, androds connecting the angle-levers and the arms on the shafts, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a supportingframe, of journaled shafts carrying intermeshing gears, an operating-lever secured to one of said shafts, a keeper for said lever,

arms on the shafts, angle-levers, and rods connecting them with the arms, auxiliary legs provided with casters pivotally connected. 

